Sign of the times

Across the University, employees like Joel Maguire are getting
ready for
the return of the fall semester and the thousands of students it brings
with it. Maguire, one of three sign painters at University Park, cleans
up a sign that will provide much-needed direction to new students, staff
and faculty.
Photos: Greg Grieco

Sprucing up

Ed Guyer from Chameleon Painting applies a topcoat of sealer
to the exterior of Bigler Hall on the University Park campus in preparation
for the return of students.

Housing employees
gearing up for onslaught

By Lisa M. RoselliniPublic Information

Despite the fact that the University actually offered admittance to a
smaller-than-normal number of incoming freshmen this year, a record-high
number of students have accepted their invitations.

This year's incoming freshmen class, estimated to be about 12,000 students
University-wide, is expected to be the second largest in history. At University
Park, preliminary numers indicate that about 5,200 freshmen have either
started or will begin their programs.

Although the numbers are still not firm, it is anticipated that University
Park will see an increase in the freshmen class of about 400 students over
last year's numbers. This will, however, be nearly 450 students fewer than
1995's freshmen class.

Housing employees at University Park are preparing to put up about 990freshmen and upperclass students in temporary housing, where lounge
space is converted to student accommodations. Extra telephone connections
and extra Ethernet computer data ports have been installed. Over the last
two years, the University also has purchased new furniture for the study
lounges to make them more comfortable as living quarters.

In addition to the incoming freshmen, University Park also will have
to accommodate students entering their junior year who are transferring
from another Penn State location. About 700 students seeking on-campus housing
will transfer to University Park from other Penn State locations.

The greater influx of students will, of course, have an effect on other
areas of the University Park campus, such as parking, food services, laundry
facilities and academics. The University has already added more course sections
to accommodate the additional students.

"Extra students, of course, have an impact on the entire University,
but with much help from the provost's office and the individual colleges,
we have addressed the critical area of academics and are making certain
that students have access to the classes they need to begin to make progress
in their respective degree programs," John J. Romano, vice provost
and dean for enrollment management and administration, said.

"This is a temporary situation, although we will be dealing with
it throughout the semester," Fred Fotis, director of Housing,
said. "We've planned for this, we are prepared for it. Every fall we
have residents in temporary housing, but we know many students will be placed
in regular spaces in the first four weeks of the school year.

"Someone's ability to attend the college of his or her choice should
really not be determined by the housing occupancy numbers," Fotis said.
"We anticipate that there will be about 450 freshmen in temporary housing
and the rest will be upperclassmen. Some might ask why we don't build another
residence hall, but the truth of the matter is that our residence halls
usually have something just under 100 percent occupancy as an average for
the year, after final assignments for the year fall into place."

Fotis said housing is assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, meaning
students who delay sending in their housing contracts are generally the
ones assigned to temporary housing. Students who turn in housing contracts
early, are assured of housing. Students in temporary housing will be reassigned
to regular space based on the date their original contract was received
by the University.

"This really points out what a popular institution Penn State is,
but it also clearly shows the need for more of our students to complete
their degrees on campuses other than University Park, if that is their desire,"
said President Graham B. Spanier. "We have moved in that direction
and are in a transition period while the campuses get additional academic
programs under way."

Spanier said the University's move to reorganize its Commonwealth campuses,
which became official July 1, was a step toward handling the needs of placebound
students throughout the state. It will also help contain enrollment growth
at University Park. The president has repeatedly said the reorganization
effort is being made to allow Penn State students to complete a Penn State
degree. The redesign of Penn State is expected to accommodate the increased
number of high school graduates entering colleges and universities in the
coming years. There is space for 12,670 students in University-owned housing
facilities on the University Park campus. In a 1995 Penn State Pulse Survey
of students assigned to temporary housing and a small sample of first-semester
students assigned to regular housing, 64.3 percent said the University had
been successful in dealing with the tight housing situation and 91.4 percent
were satisfied with their living arrangements at the time of the October
survey.

"That's part of the irony of the situation," Fotis said. "Students
sometimes don't want to leave temporary housing. It becomes convenient,
comfortable and they begin to make friends on the floor."

Students in temporary housing receive a 15 percent discount on room rates,
and if a student is in temporary housing after a certain date, a portion
of the room fee is returned. In addition, upperclassmen who signed housing
contracts have already been contacted to see if they wish to cancel those
contracts and seek off-campus housing arrangements without being penalized.
Approximately 285 upperclass students so far have taken advantage of the
offer.

Spanier's annual address
will be held on Sept. 12

The president's annual State of the University address -- a time to reflect
on past accomplishments and outline plans for the future -- is scheduled
for 4 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12, in Eisenhower Auditorium on the University
Park campus. All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend. This
is the third time President Graham B. Spanier will give the address
where he is expected to unveil several initiatives that will have great
impact on the University.

More information about the address will be included in the Aug. 28 issue
of Intercom.

All aboard

A Centre Area Transportation Authority bus pulls to a stop
near Recreation Building
on the University Park campus. Riders should see enhanced services from
a
new arrangement between Penn State and CATA.
Photo: Greg Grieco

New partnership to
provide bus service

Starting Aug. 23, Penn State students and employees riding the Commuter
Express at the University Park campus will enjoy enhanced services under
a new collaborative arrangement between Penn State 's Office of Business
Services' Transportation Services and the Centre Area Transportation Authority.

Riders traveling to and from the University's Commuter Lot, next to The
Bryce Jordan Center, will now board blue and white Campus LOOP buses or
orange and white Town LOOP buses, run by CATA, both of which will provide
service to the lot. Each Commuter Lot parking permit, which costs $9 per
month for faculty and staff, will include a bus pass good on any LOOP bus
Monday through Friday. Approximately 5,600 people took advantage last year
of the bus service from the commuter lot, according to Transportation Services.

"We are extremely enthused about the benefits the consolidation
of the Commuter Express and LOOP will now offer for employees, students
and town residents," said Betty Roberts, assistant vice president,
University Business Services. "Because the LOOP travels throughout
the campus and downtown State College, commuters parking in the Commuter
Lot will be able to reach many more destinations. "

In addition to having more stops to choose from, Roberts said the arrangement
also enables LOOP buses to run more frequently -- every eight minutes all
day. The hours of operation also are extended by the new arrangement.

The partnership provides commuters service Monday through Thursday from
7:30 a.m. until midnight; and Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 3 a.m.

Hugh Mose, general manager of CATA, said the extension of the
LOOP service to the remote parking lot also will allow CATA's Park and Ride
program, as it is called, to return to the east campus area where it was
originally located.

"Moving the Park and Ride lot will make additional parking space
available as the program grows, while the more frequent LOOP service will
increase the convenience for people traveling between downtown and the remote
parking area," he said.

CATA, which served about 2.2 million riders last year, is a joint municipal
authority representing State College Borough, and Patton, Harris, Ferguson
and College townships. The municipally funded entity runs several services
including the 12-route Centre Line system, which provides service between
downtown State College, the campus and surrounding areas; the Park and Ride
program, which transports people from the remote University commuter lot
to various destinations across campus and town; LOOP service; transportation
for seniors and individuals with disabilities; and shuttle service for special
events such as Ag Progress Days or the Arts Festival.

Ed Holmes, parking manager for the State College Borough, said
the move to extend the current partnership between the University and CATA
and to relocate the Park and Ride area is a good example of how the community
and the University can collaborate on solutions to regional problems.

Penn Staters

Dr. Joanna Cain and Dr. Rodrigue Mortel have been named
to Good Housekeeping's list of "America's Best Doctors for Women."
The list, which appeared in the August 1997 issue, included 401 doctors
found by surveying major medical centers across the country.

Both physicians are with the Penn State Geisinger Health System, The
Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and were named for their expertise as
cancer specialists in gynecologic oncology. Cain is director of obstetrics
and gynecology for Penn State Geisinger and Mortel is associate dean and
director of the Geisinger Cancer Center. Both are professors of obstetrics
and gynecology in the College of Medicine.

Three faculty in the College of Agricultural Sciences were chosen to
serve on the International Planning Committee for the third Conference on
Farm Animal Endocrinology to be held in Brussels, Belgium in December. They
are: Terry Etherton, distinguished professor of animal nutrition;
Daniel Deaver, professor of reproductive physiology; and Regina
Vasilatos-Younken, associate professor of poultry science.

The Korean Institute for Special Education has invited Richard Foxx
professor of psychology at Penn State Harrisburg, to be an instructor for
a November seminar on "Teaching Strategies for Severely and Profoundly
Handicapped Children" in Seoul. The other instructor is from Cologne
University in Germany.

Winston A. Richards, professor of mathematics and statistics at
Penn State Harrisburg, has been named a Fellow of the American Statistical
Association for his contributions to the profession.

Mowing 'em down

Intercollegiate Athletics

Grabbing the gold

Women's basketball Coach Rene Portland guided the USA Junior National
women's team to the Gold Medal in the Junior Women's World Championships
at Natal, Brazil, in an overtime victory (78-74) against Australia.

Student-athlete excels

Penn State gymnast Joe Roemer, who helped the Nittany Lions to
four consecutive NCAA Championship appearances, has been awarded an NCAA
Postgraduate Scholarship in the men's at-large division. A two-time place
finisher at the USA Gymnastics Championships, Roemer was among the finalists
for the 1997 Nissen Award, gymnastics' version of football's Heisman Trophy.
He is a three-time All-Big Ten academic choice and two-time coaches All-Academic
selection. Roemer will pursue a master's degree in finance.

Scholars chosen

Byron Clift and Brad Kittsley of the Penn State golf team
are among 102 student-athletes selected as 1997 Scholars by the Golf Coaches
Association of America. Criteria for selection include a grade point average
of at least 3.2, academic standing as a junior, a season stroke average
of 78 or lower and participation in at least 75 percent of a school's scheduled
competitive rounds.

She's a Roadrunner

Assistant softball Coach Kelley Green, a three-time All Big Ten
honoree during her career at Northwestern, spent her summer playing for
the Virginia Roadrunners of the Women's Professional Fastpitch League. A
catcher, Green was a four-year starter for the Wildcats and rapped out a
career record 215 hits.

For the latest information on Penn State Sports, visit the official Intercollegiate
Athletics site on the World Wide Web at http://www.psu.edu/
(Click on sports).

Obituaries

Mary A. Alwine, scheduler, Continuing and Distance Education,
from March 1, 1971, until her retirement April 1, 1981; died June 11 at
the age of 83.

George J. Caliva, assistant professor of engineering at Penn State
Hazleton, from Jan. 1, 1964, until his retirement Jan. 1, 1992; died June
22. He was 72.

Leo A. Corbett, assistant professor of general engineering at
Penn State Wilkes-Barre, from March 1, 1975, until his retirement Jan. 1,
1991; died May 24 at the age of 70.

Walter J. DeLacy, professor of education, College of Education,
from Sept. 1, 1954, until his retirement Sept. 1, 1975; died June 7. He
was 87.

William H. Folwell III, associate professor of extension information,
College of Agricultural Sciences, from Feb. 1, 1956, until his retirement
Feb. 1, 1985; died May 31 at the age of 72.

Sarah A. Hornbeck, clerk, verifier, University Libraries, from
Jan. 29, 1970, until her retirement Feb. 1, 1980; died June 11. She was
83.

Peter N. Kutulakis, vice dean of The Dickinson School of Law of
The Pennsylvania State University, died Tuesday, Aug. 5, while returning
home from a trip to the American Bar Association annual meeting in San Francisco.
Kutulakis was a member of the law school staff since 1974 and vice dean
since 1995. As vice dean, he oversaw administrative operations of the law
school and recently assumed additional responsibilities as human resources
representative and director of business services. He was 63.

Marjorie N. Quigley, associate librarian at Penn State Altoona,
from July 1, 1962, until her retirement July 1, 1976; died June 8 at the
age of 87.

Wynn C. Walker Sr., maintenance worker, Office of the Physical
Plant, from June 17, 1972, until his retirement June 29, 1982; died June
15 at the age of 80.

Gladys N. Williams-Lucas, secretary, College of Agricultural Sciences,
from March 10, 1958, until her retirement April 1, 1977; died June 10 at
the age of 81.

For the Record

In an Aug. 7 story about the online search for a dean of the Commonwealth
College, the sources of assistance for the new venture were not accurate.
Those helping to make information on potential candidates available on the
Web include the Office of Human Resources, the Office of Budget and Resource
Analysis and Kathryn Boynton of the Office of the President.